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Shattered Glass (Blu-ray)
[Blu-ray]
Blu-ray ALL - Australia - Via Vision Review written by and copyright: Noor Razzak (1st June 2025). |
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The Film
 "Shattered Glass", directed by Billy Ray and based on true events, is a gripping and incisive drama that explores the ethical fragility of journalism through the downfall of Stephen Glass, a once-celebrated young writer for The New Republic. The film stars Hayden Christensen as Glass and features a strong supporting cast, including Peter Sarsgaard, Chloë Sevigny, and Steve Zahn. More than a simple exposé of a scandal, the film functions as a cautionary tale about truth, credibility, and the seductive allure of success. At the heart of "Shattered Glass" is Stephen Glass himself—a charming, insecure, and compulsively dishonest reporter who fabricated over half of the stories he published. Christensen, best known at the time for his controversial role as Anakin Skywalker in the Star Wars prequels, delivers a surprisingly nuanced performance. He portrays Glass not as a moustache-twirling villain, but as a deeply troubled individual caught in a cycle of deceit fuelled by his desperate need for approval. This portrayal invites a degree of sympathy, or at least understanding, without ever excusing his behaviour. The film's strength lies in its quiet intensity. Director Billy Ray, who also wrote the screenplay, adopts a restrained, journalistic style that mirrors the ethos of The New Republic. The cinematography by Mandy Walker is clean and focused, with muted tones that underscore the moral grayness of the events. Rather than opting for melodrama, the film lets tension build naturally through dialogue and character dynamics. Peter Sarsgaard delivers a standout performance as Chuck Lane, the editor who uncovers Glass’s fraud. His portrayal is understated but powerful, gradually transforming from reluctant skeptic to moral centre. Lane’s integrity contrasts sharply with Glass’s duplicity, and their escalating conflict drives the second half of the film. Sarsgaard’s quiet, simmering frustration becomes the moral backbone of the narrative. Importantly, "Shattered Glass" is not just a film about journalistic failure; it's also about institutional responsibility. It asks how such extensive fabrications could go undetected for so long, pointing to a culture of complacency, favouritism, and the blind faith placed in rising stars. The film suggests that charisma and likability can mask serious flaws, especially in an industry where stories that "sing" are sometimes valued over those that simply tell the truth. Despite being set in the late 1990's, the film feels remarkably timely. In an era of disinformation, clickbait, and declining public trust in the media, "Shattered Glass" resonates more than ever. It serves as a reminder that journalism’s core mission—to seek and report the truth—is always vulnerable to human weakness. Critically, the film avoids oversimplifying its subject. While it clearly condemns Glass's actions, it also interrogates the systems that enabled him. There is no easy resolution, no grand act of redemption. The final scenes are quiet, sober, and deeply unsettling, fitting for a story about the gradual erosion of trust. "Shattered Glass" is a thoughtful, sharply written, and expertly acted film that tackles complex moral questions without resorting to sensationalism. It’s a must-watch for anyone interested in journalism, ethics, or the psychological contours of deception. With its understated style and psychological depth, the film endures as one of the most compelling explorations of journalistic integrity in modern cinema.
Video
Presented in the film's original theatrical ratio of 2.35:1 and mastered in HD 1080p 24/fps using AVC MPEG-4 compression, Imprint has licensed this transfer and delivered a decent image for the first time on Blu-ray. The image retains the filmmaker's intention with a mostly clean aesthetic, the colours look good and muted as per the style of the film. There was print damage that I spotted, mainly by the way of scratches, which is not expected considering this is a modern film. Black levels look good and there's some light grain structure. Overall it's a good transfer, but it could use a new scan.
Audio
Two optional audio tracks are included in English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround and English LPCM 2.0 stereo. For the purposes of this review I chose to view the film with its 5.1 audio. Dialogue is clean and clear, it's mostly a front heavy mix with not a lot of complexity. The surround channels are subtle and the film's score takes up the majority of the surround channels. Optional subtitles are included in English for the hearing impaired only.
Extras
Imprint has included some licensed extras as well as a couple of newly produced supplements for this Blu-ray debut. Below is a close look. First we have a feature-length audio commentary by writer/director Billy Ray and former “New Republic” editor Chuck Lane produced in 2004 for the Lionsgate DVD this track has been ported over for this release. This is an excellent track where the participants take us through the process of making this film, on the real Glass and the controversy that resulted in his story, the challenges of adapting the story, on the cast and their performances, as well as an insight into the office dynamics of The New Republic at the time, among other things. "Evolution and Education" 2025 interview with director Billy Ray (28:28), newly produced extra as the filmmaker talks about his career as well as the making of this film and his preference for adapting real life stories for the screen. "Every Quote, Every Detail" 2025 interview with producer Craig Baumgarten (17:14), the producer talks about meeting Ray and on his scriptwriting, on pitching the film, and the eventual development and legal issues tied to the film and its content. "Editorial Integrity" 2025 interview with editor Jeffrey Ford (20:46), the editor talks about his career, what drew him to this project, and on the process of cutting this film. Next up is the "60 Minutes" interview with the real Stephen Glass (12:36), journalist Steve Kroft sits down with Glass as they investigate the fraud he perpetrated. Rounding out the extras is the film's original theatrical trailer (2:13)
Packaging
Packaged in a keep case housed in a cardboard slip-case and limited to 1500 copies.
Overall
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